Genesis 7:16 A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD closed the door behind them.
Remembering the commission of Noah in Genesis 6, God forewarned humanity that divine lenience would end after 120 years due to humanity’s abominable sin (Gen. 6:3). Motivated by God’s deadline of Grace, Moses became a preacher of righteousness, who reproved the world of sin and warned of God’s pending judgment rather than focusing on acceptance, tolerance, and inclusion (2 Peter 2:5). Why? The answer was the immediacy of WRATH. There was no time to waste. Judgment was coming, and the lost needed to know they were not right with God… hence Noah’s ministry of righteousness. Sadly, no one was listening, and the time eventually came when God personally stopped the clock. The opportunity to be saved inevitably ended as God closed the door!
Watching Western Christianity die in Europe and drastically decline in America, we might wonder if God is once again “locking the doors and turning off the lights.” But why? Sadly, we have neglected our commission much like ancient Israel on the eve of the Babylonian captivity. Consider God’s abandonment of His people in Jeremiah, chapters 6 & 8, or Ezekiel, chapters 9, 10, and 11.
Contrary to the modern paradigm that “Christians should NEVER be judgmental, making sinners feel bad about their situation or conduct,” God asked if Israel was ashamed for their disgusting actions (Jeremiah 6:15). The immediate answer was, “No, they can’t even blush!” Again in chapter 8, the same question is asked, “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?” Jeremiah 8:12 Again, the answer was, “No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush!”
Much like modern America… militant, defiant ungodliness became so common in ancient Israel that no one cared anymore… except for God. Consequently, the time for judgment arrived. Responding to the people’s arrogant perversion, the Almighty declared, “Kill them all, old and young, girls and women and little children.” Ezekiel 9:6 The ONLY individuals God spared were those who still knew how to “weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed.” Ezekiel 9:4 Once again, God was “locking the doors and turning off the lights!” Someone had failed, but who?
Tragically, the princes and priests had been ordered to warn the people about God’s judgment against abomination; however, the ministers decided to take the easy road of acceptance, tolerance, and inclusion. They told the people, “Peace! Peace!” when there was no peace in the face of catastrophe (Jer. 8:11). Rather than being “preachers of righteousness” who advocated repentance, the leaders falsely assured, “It’s never been this good! Go build houses because nothing is going to happen! We’re as safe as meat inside an iron pot!” Ezekiel 11:3 Their choice of analogy was truly scary, in light of the FIRE that was coming! Some foolishly assumed they could “outlast” God’s rage. They said, “Hurry! Let us enter into the defensed cities!” Jer. 8:14 Here were the preppers who trusted in their rock bunkers, food stores, and piles of swords rather than repenting of their sins! But God knew where the rats had tunneled. The Almighty would ferret them out!
As God’s Holy Spirit abandoned the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy of Holies (Ez. 9:3), He ordered an angel to identify the people who still cried out against Israel’s sin, so that everyone else might be killed except for those few righteous individuals. Amazingly, divine judgment began first at God’s House (Ez. 9:4-6). Oddly, this is exactly what St. Peter said will occur in our day, “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ” (1 Peter 4:17) Why us? Because we were commissioned to warn sinners of God’s inevitable wrath. Failing that, we will be cast out and trodden under the feet of men like salt that has lost its flavor. (Matt. 5:13) God will lock our doors and turn off our lights!
From the Mercy Seat of the abandoned Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Spirit eventually left the Temple as He commanded His House to be burned (Ezekiel 10:2, 18-19). The order had been, ““Defile the Temple! Fill its courtyards with corpses.” Ezekiel 9:7 There would be no more prayers in God’s presence! There would be no more priestly mediation! There would be no more sacrificial lambs! There would be no more sprinkling of blood for the atonement of sin! For too long God’s people had preached their own politically-correct doctrine in defiance to His sovereign word, and God was through! Although every single animal and bird in creation obediently followed God’s natural laws, yet humanity had ignored judgment in order to rebel (Jer. 8:7). After wasting His time trying to warn His people, who refused to listen (Jer. 8:8), God withdrew the opportunity for Israel to be saved! The Almighty was abandoning his people to the retribution of their belligerent abominations! Grace was GONE!
Having vacated the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy of Holies, the Temple, and the surrounding Courtyard… the Holy Spirit of Grace finally forsook the entire city of Jerusalem (Ez. 11:22-23). Elvis had left the building! God was GONE! The doors were locked and the lights were shut off! There was no turning back now! After “going along to get along” by copying the ideology of the ungodly world rather than declaring God’s righteousness (Ez. 11:12), judgment was dead ahead!
Edwin Woolsey’s family has lived in Shannon, Texas, and Howell counties since 1860. He taught 31 years at Missouri public schools and is currently the pastor of a small country congregation at Pilgrim Rest Community Church. Follow him on Twitter at @edwinwoolsey.
“Tragically, our kids are going to hell… because we have irresponsibly allowed them to drift in that direction without any input or restraint on our part, trusting in the damnable doctrine of “Age of Accountability.”
-Edwin Woolsey
